occur

B1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /əˈkɝ/ UK /əˈkɜː/ See IPA manual

Freq #5860

Meanings

1

verb
To happen or take place.

The accident occurred late at night on a quiet road.
2

verb
To exist or be found in a particular place.

This rare plant occurs only in the mountains.
3

verb
To come suddenly into someone's mind.

It suddenly occurred to me that I had left the door unlocked.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to happen or take place. pass

3 verb · to come suddenly into... come

More betidebetimehappen

Word family

Forms occuredoccuringoccurredoccurringoccurs

Derived forms co-occuroccurableoccurrablereoccur

Related forms occurrence occurrent

Simplified etymology

Occur entered English in the late Middle English period and ultimately derives from Latin currere, “to run,” combined with ob-, “against.”

Etymology

Originally "meet (in argument)", borrowed from Middle French occurrer, from Latin occurrō (“run to meet, run against, befall, present itself”) from prefix ob- (“against”) + verb currō (“run, hurry, move”).

*ḱers- Proto-Indo-European occurrer Middle French occurrō Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Register & Style

External links

# occur

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /əˈkɝ/
**IPA (UK):** /əˈkɜː/
**Frequency rank:** 5860

## Meanings
1. To happen or take place.
2. To exist or be found in a particular place.
3. To come suddenly into someone's mind.

## Examples
- The accident occurred late at night on a quiet road.
- This rare plant occurs only in the mountains.
- It suddenly occurred to me that I had left the door unlocked.

## Synonyms
- betide
- betime
- happen

## Derived Forms
- co-occur
- occurable
- occurrable
- reoccur

## Related Forms
- occurrence
- occurrent

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *ḱers-
- Root: occurrer
- Root: occurrō

## Etymology
Originally "meet (in argument)", borrowed from Middle French occurrer, from Latin occurrō (“run to meet, run against, befall, present itself”) from prefix ob- (“against”) + verb currō (“run, hurry, move”).

## AI Etymology
Occur originally "meet (in argument)", borrowed from Middle French occurrer, from Latin occurrō (“run to meet, run against, befall, present itself”) from prefix ob- (“against”) + verb currō (“run, hurry, move”). The historical chain includes Proto-Indo-European *ḱers-, Middle French occurrer, and Latin occurrō. Modern senses include to happen or take place and to exist or be found in a particular place. The wider word family includes derivatives such as co-occur, occurable, occurrable, and reoccur and related forms such as occurrence and occurrent.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Register & Style

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